Device for forming breguet coils



Patented Nov. 29, I898.

l. MOSS. DEVICE FOR FORMING BREGUET SOILS.

(Application filed Apr. 5, 1897.)

( No Model.)

jw67f07 lifizldorflass. E? W 7 NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

DEVICE FOR FORMING BREGUET COILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,035, dated November 29, 1898. Application filed April 5, 1897. Serial No. 630,6 75. (N0 mOdeL) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISIDOR Moss, of Waltham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Devices for Forming Breguet Coils, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

In manufacturing hair-springs for watches it is desirable that these springs be provided with an overcoil or breguet, which is formed by drawing the outer end of the spring-wire above the plane of the spring proper and there forming the last convolution. Near the extremity of the breguet, which is fixed, the spring-wire is led between the regulator-pins, and these by movement of the regulator may be adjusted to limit the action of the hair spring, to thereby vary the speed of the watch, as is done in the case of any hair-spring regulator.

By the use of a Breguet coil the necessity for having the regulator-points in the plane of the spring proper is avoided and any possibility of interference by these points with the movement of the second coil of the hairspring is prevented, thus insuring great regularity in the action of the latter.

All watches of the better grade are now provided with Breguet coils, and every watch would be so provided were it not for the expense of the breguet, due to the practical impossibility hitherto of making in the same forming-box a plurality of properlycoiled hair-springs of a given size and having Breguet coils without at the same time producing some flatsi. (2., hair-springs formed of wire wound with the wire making the Breguet spring, said former wire being wound to secure the desired spacing or separation of the coils of each of the hair-springs, but the springs formed thereby not being themselves provided with Breguet coils.

To provide means for the concurrent production in the same box of a plurality of hair-springs of the Breguet type and exactly similar in size is the object of this invention, the various features of which will be fully illustrated and described in the drawings and specification and set forth in the claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a hair-spring:

forming box of a suitable type for use in connection with the carrying out of my invention. Fig. 2 shows in plan and elevation a Breguet-coil former constructed in accordance with my invention. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate similarly formers of modified construction by which my invention may be applied. Fig. 5 shows in plan and elevation a separate winder of a form adapted for use in connection with formers of the type illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4:. Fig. 6 shows in plan and elevation the various instrumentalities by which my invention may be carried into eifect assembled in position to commence the formation of a plurality of Breguet coils. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the same, taken on the line m 00, Fig. 6. Figs. 8 and 8 show a tool adapted for use in connection with the instrumentalitiesalready illustrated, and Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of one of the finished hair-springs with its Breguet coil.

In forming hair-springs the wire of which the spring is composed is wound about a spindle until the desired number of convolutions has been reached, and the coiled spiral is then tempered or hardened by suitable means to give the material the necessary resilience.

In performing the operation of forming the coil the end of the wire is inserted in anotch in the tool, which grips it and prevents its escape, and to support the material of the coil as it increases in size the wire is usually fed to the spindle within a box or equivalent device, usually and preferably of the form illustrated in Fig. 1, which shows in plan a circular box A, having a central recess a, through the central aperture a. of which the winding end of the spindle may be inserted. Hair-springs are usually formed three or more at a time, the head of the spindle being provided with a corresponding number of notches to receive the ends of the individual lengths of wires which are to be wound into spirals. These notches'are at equal peripheral distances, and as the spindle is twisted the wire coils are wound one upon the other until the recess a has been completely filled, it being of the size which it is desired to give each of the springs in process of formation. It will readily be seen that as the springs start from the central spindle at equal distances they will end at the walls a of the box at equal distances, and the material of each spring will serve as means to space the coils of the other springs, so that the space between successive coils of any one of the springs in case three are wound at once will be equal in width to the combined thickness of the other two.

It has been found in practice that for the use to which hair-springs are now put in watches a separation of the coils amounting to twice the width of the material gives a good result; but obviously any convenient number of springs may be formed at once, and the separation of the coils of any one will be determined by the total number formed, less its own thickness.

The walls at of the box are preferably form ed as inclines equal in number to the number of springs to be formed and rising from the level of the bottom of the box at the point where the wires are to be respectively led in until they reach a height equal to the height of the springand extending, preferably, some little distance above the top of the latter.

\Vhen the spindle has been twisted until enough wire has been drawn in to fill the box, the formation of the Breguet coil maybe commenced, and to assist in this a templet or former is used, consisting ofadisk, preferably of metal and having a fiat bottom, substantially equal in size to the recess a, within which the former is seated upon the coils of spring material.

Vith the construction of templet now used it is only possible to form a single breguet of a given size; but with my improved templet or former I am enabled to form two or more Breguet coils at one time and of the same size, the number onlybeinglimited by convenience and the size of the material used.

My preferred type of former is best illustrated in Fig. 2 and consists of a disk B, similar to those now in use, but preferably provided with several positioning prongs or proj ections b, adapted to enter and be held within the notches a in the walls a of the box. The prongs b have their lower surfaces raised above the bottom of the disk to a distance substantially equal in height to the height of the spring-stock, and at the side of each prong opposite to that from which the wire comes the material of the disk is cut away to form an upwardly and inwardlyinelin ed path I), terminating about midway between that prong and the next, at what may be termed the main level b of the disk. Above this level the material of the disk is in this instance extended to present a circular shoulder If, and from the center of the shoulder a further upward extension of the material of the disk is preferably made in the form of a circular post The inner surfaces of the walls of the boxA are preferably each slightly beveled outwardly and upwardly adjacent the notches a so that after the box has been filled by the winding and before the former is put in place the ends of the respective wires may be seated in position to be overlapped by the prongs b when the latter enter the notches a". The former being thus in place in the box, with the ends of the wires respectively projecting from under the prongs b, these ends are now drawn through holes 1," in lugs c of a winder C, which I have illus trated as consisting of an annulus, the central aperture 0 of which is adapted to receive the post I) of the former B, which post thus serves as a pivot about which the winder may be rotated to feed the wires adjacent their ends into their respective paths 1) and snugly against the shoulder I). The appearance of the box, former, and winder when these parts are in position to commence rotation of the winder is illustrated in Fig. 6, with the wires (Z projecting through the holes 0 of the winder, and as soon asacomplete rotation of the winder has been made in the direction of the arrow the ends of the wires are bent about the lugs c to prevent their escape, and the winder is fixed in position with respect to the former B. This may be accomplished in any suitable way, a convenient method being to bind wire around both former and winder in a slot 1) in the one and a slot 0 in the other, adapted to form continuations one of the other. This binding should also include the box, in which I haveillustrated a peripheral notch a' to afford a purchase for the wire.

In the modification of former illustrated in Fig. 3 the lower surface of the prongs e is level with the plane of the bottom of the disk or body E of the former and the wire is led to the main or upper plane 6 of the former from under the prongs and across the outer periphery c of the former and thence to a circular shoulder 07' rising above the main plane 6', the material of the disk between the prongs and below the level of the main plane c being cut away, as at e, to allow each wire to curve itself freely in passing from under its prong to the shoulder a This form of disk is otherwise similar in construction to the form before described, having a central post 6 to serve as a pivot for a winder either of the form illustrated in Fig. 5 or any other suitable form, the application or manner of winding being substantially that already set forth.

In Fig. I I have illustrated a former F in which the shoulder f of the disk is extended upwardly to a height about equal to that of the central post of the other formers, which post it replaces, being provided also with lugs 1", having holes f, similar to the lugs of the winder C, the former F being without positioning-prongs and having a beveled periphery f By this construction a continuous annular bevel is presented to be traversed by the wire in passing from under the disk to the respective prongs f and shoulder f, the respective wires being thus free to position themselves naturally on said bevel. It will thus be seen that in this construction the former and winder are integral and the whole is free to be rotated within the forming-box in shaping. the Breguet coils, this operation differingin no material respect from the shaping accomplished by the use of a separate winder, as before described. A bindinggroove f is also provided, as before, to enable the former to be fixed in the forming-box preparatory to the hardening process.

Referring to Fig. 8, an apparatus will be seen for carrying out my invention expeditiously and for providing uniformity of tension, so that each of the wires forming the several breguets will be wound uniformly with the required tension.

G designates a frame of any suitable shape, herein shown as comprising a base 9 and standard g, the latter being hollow and preferably cylindrial and having at one side an upwardly-extending arm 1 provided with a lateral support 9 secured thereto by a screw g, and having a spring member g overlapping the same and adapted to be held down in the position shown by a sliding ring 9 and carrying in its outer end a rotator 9 having a finger-piece g at its upper end by which it may be rotated and shaped at its lower end to engage the winder of a breguet-forming apparatus, as previously explained, this rotator being shown in detail in Fig. 8, where the lower end is provided with a notch g to straddle the post of the former and prongs g at either side thereof to engage the notch in the upper side of the winder.

Laterally extending from the rotator are suitable tension devices, herein shown as each comprising an arm 9 and a spring g clamped against the side of the arm, there being as many of these tension devices carried by the rotator as there are holding-lugs on the winder-thatis to say,one tension member is provided for each wire being Wound.

The box with its templet and winder are removably held in the outer or jaw ends it of a holder H, herein shown as a U-shaped or conical-shaped spring, this spring being clamped about the edges of the former and then inserted within the tubular upright or standard g, the latter serving to tightly clamp the spring=jaws and hold them rigidly in place beneath the rotator.

The box, 850., and its spring-holder having been properly placed in fixed position, as shown, the rotatoris brought over the winder into engagement therewith, being held in place by the link or ring 19 the wires being all caught in the tension devices, and the rotator is then given one rotation, which serves to properly Wind the wires about the hub of the templet or former, as before explained, in their desired position. They are then secured about the lugs of the winder and a bindin g-wire is passed through the apertures h of the holder and twisted about the former in proper binding position, as before explained, the holder and its box, 850., being then removed, the latter being taken from the holder,

another former inserted in its place, and the operation repeated. This convenient appa ratus makes it possible to form breguets Very expeditiously.

The tension apparatus is placed for convenience on the rotator, although it is evident that it might be placed on the winder, the reason that I prefer placing it on the rotator being that thereby the former (and by the latter term I mean to include the whole form ing apparatus, including what I have spoken of as a box or its equivalent, on which the flat coil is formed, and the former or templet, on which the breguet is wound, and the winder or means for carrying the wire or wires around the templet to form the breguet) is rendered as simple and compact in form as possible, this being desirable for the purposes of tempering the wires, to which I have already made allusion.

\Vhile I have herein described in detail the preferred embodiments of my invention, yet I wish it understood that I in no wise limit myself thereto, inasmuch as many changes in form, proportion, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention. Nor do I limit myself to the exact shape of the templet illustrated, since by suitable change of contour the shape and nature of the coil may be changed and other coils than those technically called breguets produced.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is

1. In a device for forming Breguet coils or the like, a templet having a'plurality of shoulders or surfaces arranged coaxially and adapted respectively to receive stock for and to form said stock at one and the same operation into a plurality of coils having like dimensions, substantially as described.

2. A former for Breguet coils or the like, comprising a templet having a plurality of shoulders or surfaces arranged coaxially and adapted to receive and cooperate respectively with the stock extending from each of a plurality of hair-springs to form at a single operation a plurality of coils of like construction and dimensions, one for each of said hairsprings, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a box or its equivalent on which a plurality of wires may be wound spirally, and means independent of said box to simultaneously wind the free ends of said coiled wires in a plane above the latter, substantially as described.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a box or its equivalent on which a plurality of wires may be wound spirally, a former adapted to be placed on said box above said spirally-wound wires, said former having a path or way formed thereon to direct the wires into the desired shape, and a winder to cooperate with said box and former, said winder being provided with means to engage the free ends of the several wires, and move said wires about said path, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described, comprisin g a box or its equivalent on which a pl urality of wires may be wound spirally, a former adapted to be placed on said box above said spirally-wound wires, said former having a path or way formed thereon to direct the wires into the desired shape, and a winder to cooperate with said box and former, said winder having a plurality of lugs or engaging portions one for each wire, to loosely direct the wire, as desired, about said path, substantially as described.

6. A device of the class described, com prising a box orits equivalent on which a plurality of wires may be wound spirally, a former adapted to be placed on said box above said spirally-wound wires, said former having a path or way formed thereon to direct the wires into the desired shape, said former having its edges beveled upwardly toward said path, and a winder to cooperate with said box and former, said winder having a plurality of lugs or engaging portions one for each wire, to loosely direct the wire as desired about said path, substantially as described.

7. A device of the class described, com prising a box orits equivalent on which aplurality of wires may be wound spirally, a former adapted to be placed on said box above said spirally-wound wires, said former having a path or way formed thereon to direct the wires into the desired shape, said former having its edges beveled upwardly toward said path, and a winder provided with engaging portions one for each wire, the engaging portions of said winder being raised above said path to permit the several wires to be wound in said path between the bottom surface thereof and the said engaging portions, substantially as described.

8. A device for forming breguets, comprising a box having an annular wall about an inclosed recess, said wall being provided with a notch, a former adapted to be inserted in said recess, said former being provided with a positioning-prong to outer said notch, and

having an annular shoulder to receive the wire to form the breguet, and a winder to engage the free end of the said wire and capable of movement to wind the same about said shoulder, substantially as described.

9. A device for forming breguets, comprising a standard, clamping-jaws to retain a breguet-former, and a rotator for said former, said rotator being freely supported above said standard by means of a spring-arm, said apparatus being provided with means for maintaining said rotator in engagement with said former as desired, substantially as described.

10. A device forforming breguets, comprising a tubular standard, a conical holder to be wedged into said standard, said holder having at its outer end jaws to retain a breguetformcr, and a rotator to engage and rotate the free ends of the wires of the former, substantially as described.

11. In a device for forming breguets, the combination with a former provided with means to wind a plurality of Wires simultaneously to form breguets, of tension mechanism to engage said wires and maintain them under uniform tension during their winding, substantially as described.

12. In a device for forming breguets or the like out of stock having low rigidity, the forming-surfaces, and means having a movement relatively to the stock to grasp the latter loosely and trail it against said formingsurfaces, allowingit to position itself thereon automatically.

13. A device of the class described comprising a templet adapted to receive stock for and to form said stock at one and the same operation into a plurality of independent coils, and means to wind stock for said coils, on said templet, sim ultaneously,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISIDOR MOSS.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, Gno. IT. MAXWELL. 

